Off-Balance Harmony

Lopsided, unbalanced, disproportional, uneven, irregular... The asymmetrical trend has worn many hats over the years but has ultimately proven its status as an indispensable fashion phenomenon rather than a fading trend. Manifesting its versatility and wearability throughout the seasons, the asymmetrical silhouette is a fashionable force to be reckoned with.

On the runway

There's nothing chicer than a well-worn classic, yet simultaneously there's nothing more exciting than an innovative approach to our run-of-the-mill daytime silhouettes. This discrepancy between two of fashion's most needed stimuli has designers reworking classic staples around the clock, ever-searching for an inventive and fresh approach. While the asymmetrical look isn't exactly new, the off-center cut has a certain playfulness and originality that's hard to match. For spring/summer 2017 designers offered their unique take on the offbeat shapes by cutting, twisting, shifting and patching everything from skirts to blouses.

Asymmetry is more than a momentary infatuation, it's become a runway fixture that surpasses trends and seasons. Waterfall skirts already originated in the Victorian era, but these skirts with higher front or side hemlines, have been successfully re-thought this season by labels like Philosophy di Lorenzo Serafini, complete with romantic ruffles and prints. Eighties-inspired Flashdance tops re-emerged at Isabel Marant and Marni, making a solid case for lop-sided shoulders. Off White's Virgil Abloh and Sébastien Meunier from Ann Demeulemeester achieved a sense of deconstructed asymmetry by creating a patchwork like canvas, opting for a different fabric sleeve or mixed fabric jacket. The designers' unpredictable ways of approaching these reworked classics, showcased an entirely new arsenal for the asymmetric trend, establishing it once again as an unlimited source of inspiration.

Translated to the street

While the definition of asymmetrical limits itself to 'an off-center appearance that can be diagonal or vertical', the execution of this fashion silhouette has exceeded its limiting explanation by far. With deconstructed details, added volume, bias hemlines and mismatched fabrics, the restrictions of this silhouette have yet to be discovered. Investing in a skewed skirt, shoulder-exposing top or unevenly hemlined coat, therefore, isn't a fashionable extravagance, it's a solid wardrobe investment that provides you with a sense of uniqueness for years to come. In case you do need some extra time settling into the trend, a simple do-it-yourself nod to these deconstructed items might do the trick. Purposely button up your shirt wrong, half-tuck your blouse or simply tug your coat off one shoulder.